Sigh.

You know, I'm building stamina/working up to the century slowly. Maybe too slowly, given that I only ride on weekends. But I haven't injured myself and I am really looking forward to my weekend rides - IE I'm enjoying myself immensely. I have a new purpose for the next two months and it's great.

That said. I'm slooooooooow. Sooooooooo slow. And I was reminded how slow I actually am, this morning.

I'm still only averaging about 12 MPH on my rides. A little faster average on a few rides (which are a little hillier, go figure). I guess the speed I build on downhill more than makes up for going more slowly going up. There, I said it. 12 MPH. Sloooooooooow. I'm fully able to talk during my rides, so at least I'm not going all-out (and yet still slow). More later on how to speed up (though I figure I just need to get out there more and additionally do sprints once in a while). I'm definitely not going all-out, I am just going longer.

Anyway, the reminder. My brother is visiting and I told him to bring his bike and he could join me. I told him Saturday was better because "it's my short day and I'm doing 40 on Sunday, you haven't ridden in ages and ages so you don't want to hurt yourself". (Pat pat on my back, good big sister, make sure little brother doesn't get winded or hurt).

You guessed it. He smoked me this morning. On an 18 year old mountain bike. He waited at the stop signs and took off again. He was always in sight so it wasn't like he was going 20 mph to my 12 or anything, but still.

I guess I could try to excuse the sluggish performance this morning with the excessive amounts of Korean BBQ (and beer) last night, and a little too late for a comfortable 6 AM wake up call.. but he ate the same thing. Drat!